A/N: Sorry this only took forever. I had midterms last week and everything just blew up and ruined my time management for this story. I apologize, and here's the next chapter.

The Search

"When somebody loves you, it shows in every smile." –Frank Sinatra

It had been a week since the invasion on Carentan. The small French town was recovering well, rebuilding and cleaning the rumble and debris from the fight. Soldiers, women and even children helped clean, sweeping up what they could and pretending the fighting ever happened.

In that week, Nat rarely saw Luz. He and the other members of easy company had taken up the chore of setting up base on the out rim of the town. The defensive points were located in five spots around the town. Guns were atop houses and shops, as well as on the ground. It seemed that the town was ready for anything.

Nat had reunited with her mother and father after the day she met Richard Winters and Lewis Nixon. He parents, worried but relieved, were glad she was alright. The gashes to the side of her face weren't healing as fast as she wished, but Nat was still grateful for Eugene being there. She stopped by the Easy Company CP every morning to visit the medic who would, in turn, change her bandages and talk with her about his home.

It was refreshing to hear of this far off place. Eugene and Luz both spoke of America with such zeal, Nat thought they would break into song. It was funny almost, the way they spoke of their families. Frowning, Nat played with her fingers. They must miss their families…

So, as she sat and watched a few soldiers play baseball in the street, Nat couldn't help but wonder where George was. She hated to admit it, but she was beginning to miss the American. She had seen Babe an hour earlier when she entered CP to see 'Doc Roe' as many called him. The ginger, smiling happily and shaking her hand, greeted her. She smiled back, thanking him once again for saving her life during the skirmish with the Germans. Babe Heffron only shrugged, a small blush playing upon his pale cheeks. He told her it was nothing, and he told her it was his job after all.

Sighing and recalling that Babe had said nothing of George's whereabouts, Nat took it upon herself to look for him.

Hopping silently down from her perch on the stone wall, she maneuvered around the loud baseball game with ease. She climbed up the hill, sliding through soldiers and townsfolk who were making their way back from the market.

She looked around in the grocery, not spotting the messy haired soldier.

She looked in the bakery where Luz had gotten the croissants a week ago.

She looked in the small bookstore with the shattered front window.

She looked in her families bar where men sat quietly and drank.

She looked in the tailor shop that was destroyed by the German tank.

It seemed as if George Luz was nowhere. Nat frowned and huffed, slouching against the stone building to her right. The sun, beating down on her, was hot and soon she found herself sticky with sweat from the summer morning and all of this looking. Contently running a hand through her hair, Nat enjoyed a quick breeze before she bounced onto her feet again.

"Nat!"

The blonde snapped her head to her right, watching as the small Italian Easy Company man jogged up to her.

Smiling she greeted him, "Bonjour, Monsieur Perconte."

"Heya, kid. Listen, Luz wanted me ta give this to ya. Apparently, your Pa is throwin' a little get tagether at your bar."

Nat nodded. She already knew. It was a party for the soldiers with performances from the local men and women. There would be singing and dancing and Nat was well aware of it. Grasping the small piece of paper from Perconte, she nodded in appreciation.

"Thank you, Perconte."

He smiled and gave a sloppy salute before scurrying off in the other direction.

Nat leaned against the wall again, flipping the small paper open. It seemed that the paper had been torn from a notebook, since the left edge was torn and tattered. The handwriting on the inside was barely legible and Nat laughed. It was exactly what she pictured Luz's writing like.

Nat:

There is going to be a party at the Boire de Minuit at 7:00 tonight. I would like to call upon you to be my date. Don't worry about your parents, because I already asked them.

It will be a little awkward if you say no.

So, please obilge in my request and say yes, that way we both don't have to deal with the awkwardness later on.

-George Luz

Nat snorted softly before grinning.

"He spelt 'oblige' wrong…"

"You look beautiful, mon ami," Mari piped up and swatted Nat's hand as she reached up to touch her now victory curled hair, "Stop touching it!"

"That hairstyle is all the rage in America," Mrs. Déchame smiled, watching her daughter and her best friend from the doorway.

The updo was taming her ever so daring blonde curls, but only barely. A few stray strand poked out here and there, but Nat was used to this. It no longer bothered her. Nat felt out of place. She was not used to being so dressed up and so dolled up. It was foreign feeling to have makeup on her pale face and pins in her hair. Normally, all of this went undone by Nat but according to her mother, she must look well for the soldiers tonight.

She didn't mind. Not at all, but she only loathed the look upon George Luz's face when he spotted her approaching the Boire de Minuit with Mari. The look was complete with a slack jaw and catcalls from Perconte who by his side. Nat wondered if he could see the blush that was burning under the copious amounts of powder on her face.

"Heya, Nat," he breathed before smiling and taking her hand, "You look great."

"Merci, George. You look very nice as well."

He was wearing his brown dress uniform that was decorated in small medals. It was starched and strict looking on him. Nat didn't necessarily hate it; it just seemed to be the complete opposite of his personality. He looked handsome, there was no doubting that, with his jacket and cap. It was daunting to her, to be reminded that Luz was a military man…

He was so carefree and funny, she would have never guessed it if they had met another way.

She was taken by the arm gently and ushered into the bar.

"C'mon. The party's already started."

There was that smile again.